Sporting CP coach Ruben Amorim has emerged as a candidate for Aston Villa.

The Daily Mail says Villa face a battle to convince their top targets to replace sacked Steven Gerrard, amid reservations from leading candidate Mauricio Pochettino.

The former Tottenham boss was Villa's first choice to replace Gerrard, and co-owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens were prepared to make him one of the highest-paid managers in Europe.

But with the Argentine unsure about taking over a club 17th in the Premier League, Villa must examine other options. They are exploring a move for Amorim, the highly-rated coach of Sporting Lisbon, and intermediaries are believed to have sounded out Brentford's Thomas Frank recently.

Amorim would need persuading but indications yesterday were that it would be easier to tempt him than Frank. Brendan Rodgers, of Leicester City, is another candidate.